On Sunday, September 4, EKA Arena TranStadia will see the launch of the 36th National Games in Gujarat. The official launch will take place in the presence of eminent dignitaries from the fields of politics and sports.
Along with Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Anurag Thakur, the occasion will be graced by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
Taking place from September 4, it is expected that the National Games’ opening ceremony will be attended by Over 9,000 guests from across the state.
The mega event will also witness the unveiling of the Games mascot and anthem. Apart from this, a custom-curated website and mobile application will also be launched marking the beginning of the biggest sporting extravaganza in the country.
“We are delighted and proud to host the National Games,” Gujarat chief minister Bhupendra Patel said. “We are eagerly waiting for India’s top athletes and officials and are leaving no stone unturned to make this the best Games ever,” he added.
Taking place from September 29 to October 12, the theme for this years’ National Games is ‘Celebrating Unity Through Sports’. It will be held after a gap of seven years. The Games were last held in Kerala in 2015.
The Games will be hosted by six cities from Gujarat- Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, Surat, Vadodara, Rajkot and Bhavnagar. New Delhi will additionally host the track cycling event.
An estimated 7,000 athletes from 28 states and eight Union Territories are expected to take part across 36 disciplines that include most traditional Olympic sports. This years’ sports will be different as it will also see indigenous sports like mallakhamb and yogasana for the first time.
(inputs from IANS)